Oroville Mercury Register
Las Plumas High breaks ground
for new buildings
Friday, June 03, 2005
With hard hats and shovels, Oroville Union High School District Board members, school staff, students, dignitaries and contractors broke ground Wednesday for the new gymnasium at Las Plumas High School.
More than 100 people gathered under some shade trees by the school's tennis courts for the ceremony.
LP's Junior Naval ROTC Color Guard displayed the flags and Associated Student Body CO-President Trevor Prater introduced the event's speakers.
This modernization project is being funded, in part, with school construction bond money approved with the passage of Measure M in 2002.
It will include a new gymnasium, an agriculture/science building and an arts building at Las Plumas, plus some updates on the school's exterior.
Las Plumas Principal Sandy Dovell said it is "an exciting time for Las Plumas, which was created in 1961 and dedicated on April 25, 1963."
Its first graduating class attended a ceremony in the current gym back in 1965, she said.
"Our dream is to have another dedication ceremony in 18 months," Dovell added. "Not that we want to put any pressure on the contractors."
Carey Construction of Oroville will be doing the work on this project along with new building at the Oroville High campus to begin later.
OUHSD's Maintenance Director Bill Tronson also described the groundbreaking as an exciting day for him as well. The project started its design phase in 1993, and 12 years is a long time to come to fruition. However, "pigs are flying over the ag department," he joked.
David Bruce, president of the OUHSD Board and former Measure J chairman, was choked up about the construction since it had been an important project to him. The $12 million bond is covering the district's contribution to these projects while the state is kicking in matching funds.
"I appreciate all of you being here," Bruce said. "If I'd known the bond was going to pass, I'd have worked even harder."
He said comments from the public that this will never happen, of course, were inaccurate.
"We believe now the community can do something," Bruce said, with the $38 million in school construction and modernization projects under way or just completed in the Oroville area.
Thermalito Union School District finished its new Plumas Avenue Elementary School last year, and Palermo Union School District is building its new Golden Hills Elementary School next door to Helen Wilcox School. Oroville Elementary School District also is building the Ishi Hills Middle School off Foothill Boulevard. All in addition to OUHSD's projects.
Bruce said Las Plumas High will look like a new school again once the new buildings and remodeling have been completed.
He was joined at the event by OESD Board President Kathy White who worked jointly with Bruce to pass Measure J and Measure G, OESD's $6 million school bond used to help build the middle school.
Former OUHSD Board member Virginia
Murphy also came to lend a hand in the shovel detail.
She sat on the high school board in the early 1960s when LP was built, and she helped choose the furniture at that time. "If you don't like the furniture, blame her," Bruce quipped.
Murphy said "It's high time" the school was updated after 40-plus years. "I think it's necessary to get ready for the new people coming into town. We're seeing unprecedented growth."
Construction of the new LP buildings will be done through the summer and likely into the fall. Bruce indicated the gymnasium will probably take the longest to complete. It is to go up next to the current gym, and graders were moving dirt as the groundbreaking took place.
The rest of the remodeling will be done during the next two years at LP, district officials said.
Oroville High is to get a new library/media center, new shop building, and other amenities.
City Councilman Bob Sharkey said he was thrilled to see Charles Carey of Carey Construction get the project because it is a local company that has done well.
Many people may not know it, but Carey built Bird Street School, Sharkey said.
Bruce also expressed satisfaction at the district being able to hire an Oroville firm, and Carey had built gyms at several locations around this area.
A new Oroville Community Day School also was built this year next to Prospect High School on Second Street to house the district's students who were expelled/suspended from other campuses.